Portable conveyer and wheeled support



July 25, 1950 E. H. ENSINGER 2,516,192

PORTABLE CONVEYER AND WHEELED SUPPORT INVENTOR ATTORN EYS July 25, 1950 E. H. ENSINGER PORTABLE CONVEYER AND WHEELED SUPPORT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 2, 1946 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented July 25, 1950 OFFICE v PORTABLE CONVEYER AND WHEELED SUPPORT Earl i l. linsingei i Cleveland, Ohio Application August 2, 1943, serial No. 687,882

3 Claims. (01. 1984233) My present invention-relates to the art of portable conveyors of the type at present commonly in use for the purpose of conveying materials deposited in a hopper at one end of the conveyor frame to a point beyond the deli-very end of said frame, the materials being conductedby the usual form of endless belt conveying means suitably mountedupon the conveyor :frarne.

My invention involves primarily a novel con-- struction of adjustable and quickly detachable supporting means for the body-frame of the conveyor, whereby theh'eight of the delivery and of the conveyor may be varied within reasonable limits so as to correspondingly deliver the materials conveyed to points of deposit at dilferent elevations.

The-adjustable supporting means of m invention comprises a frame made of pivotally connected leg members, said leg members being detachably secured to the frame of the conveyor at their upper ends, and being pivotally connected at their lower ends with a-suitable axle equipped with wheels on which the conveyor may be rolled from place to place. By the use of Windlass means I provide for the adjustment of the legs of the-support of theconveyor to different angles in relation to the conveyor frame by movement er fected by the connectionof the Windlass and the cable of the latter to one of the legmembers.

.. The quickly detachable means to connect the upper portions of the leg members pivotally to the conveyor frame, are advantageous because they permit of quick removal and re-attachment of the supporting leg means as a unit. This is desirable when it is desired to carry my conveyor into a cellar, or through a window or narrow entrance way. To such end the removal of the supporting unit entirely, and the engine on the conveyor will facilitate reduction in size of the conveyor so it may be easily transported through small spaces, with parts separated. The details of novelty of my construction of adjustable support will be fully presented hereinafter and completel understood upon reference to the following detailed description, and to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portable conveyor embodying the novel adjustable support of my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken about on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, omitting the engine and support.

I, 5 Figure 3 is a section taken abolit on-the line Q -fSo'fFigure '1;

V Figure 4 is a fragmentary View of the conveyor,

2 showing the adjustable support so adjusted'as to increase the elevation of the delivery end of the conveyor as compared with Figure 1, illustration.

Figure 5 is an end elevation looking at the conveyor from the delivery end, and showing portions of the frame in sections.

Figure 6 is a detailed view largely in side elevation, showing more clearly the lock means for the Windlass shaft.

Figure 7 shows the same constructionasFigure 6, but is a section taken on the line l- -l 'of Fig' ure 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional View taken about on the line 88 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 9 is a fragmentar view showing'more clearly the removable pivotal means for the inner leg memberof the conveyor'support.

Referring to Figures 1 and 4 of the drawing particularly, it is notable that the conveyorv to which I have shown my invention applied, gen erally comprises a longitudinal frame I, which-as seen in Figures 2and 3 is made up of a longitudi nal inverted and somewhat U-shaped channel member 2, the transverse portion of which supports the conveyor belt 3 in bellied condition .as'it operates over said channel member, the bellied formation of the belt being caused by. the used side guide members 'or plates 4, which divergefrom the side edge portions of the channel mem ber 2 as seen in Figures 2 and 3. The frame a! likewise made up of lower longitudinal angle plates or members 5, the horizontal flanges of which extend outwardly and laterally fromv the frame, these angle plates being located primarily at the half portion of the frame -I nearer the dee livery end thereof.

The belt 3 passes about rollers at opposite ends of the conveyor frame, not clearly shown, because it is not material to the invention, and the belt is driven by means of a suitable engine 5, mounted on a supporting frame 7, located at the middle portion of theconveyor frame.

The construction of-my conveyor includes also a receiving hopper 8, at the receiving end of the frame I, said hopper supplying the materials fed theretogto the lower end of the belt 3, and the-materials are then carried by the belt, driven by the engine 6, to the delivery end of theconveyor frame I. At the hopper end of the conveyor frame I the said frame is equipped with supporting rollers II, and these rollers in conjunction with wheels 9 of my adjustable support afford portable means for the movement of the conveyor unit from place to place. f

I note that the adjustable support includes rear frame or leg members I and the front leg or frame members I2; these members being fabricated somewhat as illustrated in Figure of the drawing, so as to be made up of side angle bars I and cross connection plates I3.

The leg member It is pivoted at I4 to the frame- I near the hopper 8 and the front leg member I2 is arranged so that its front end portion is pivotally connected at I5 with downwardly depending flanges I6 extending from a slide or carrier member H. The slide or carrier member I'I consists of merely a movable flat plate having its side edges bent upwardly and inwardly to provide U-shaped guide members I8 which members receive and slide along the horizontal flanges of the' angle bars 5 that constitute guide members on the frame I of the conveyor. A transverse vertical web or plate I9 extends downwardly from the slide or carrier member Ill and is connected at its ends with the depending flanges I8. This member I9 is primarily a reinforcing member for the slide or carrier construction.

By reason of the interlocking of the carrier guide-members IS with the conveyor frame guide members 5, it will be apparent that the carrier I1 is adapted to slide longitudinally of the frame along the guide members 5.

Obviously, if the carrier I1 is pulled toward the middle portion of the frame I, it will cause a pivotal movement of the front leg member I2 to tend to straighten the same toward the position assumed in Figure 4. This will impart a corresponding angular movement to the rear leg member I0 along the line of the illustration of Figure 4, and since the wheels 9 are connected to the lower ends of the leg members I0 and I2, they will be moved a greater or less distance from the frame I, dependent on whether the carrier or slide I1 is moved towardthe middle of the' frame or toward the delivery end of the frame.

The means for moving the carrier I'I comprises a simple form of windlass shaft 20 (see Figure 2), which Windlass shaft is mounted in a depending frame 2| attached to the frame I, said frame 2I having openings forming bearings for the said shaft 20. At one end thereof the shaft 20 is equipped with a simple form of crank handle 22.

Cable means 23 are attached to the shaft 20 and extend toward the delivery end of the conveyor to points of attachment to the flange members I6 depending from the carrier or slide member II.

By turning the crank handle22, the crank shaft 20 will be rotated and the cables 23 wound upon the shaft 20 incident to turning the handle 22 in one direction. Such winding of the cables 23 on the shaft 20 will pull the slide or carrier I'I toward the middle portion of the frame I of the conveyor and thus tend to impart angular movement to the leg members If) and I2 to bring thelatter toward the positions assumed in Figure 4. On the other hand, if the crank handle 22 is permitted to turn in'a reversed direction to that previously mentioned, the weight of the conveyor acting on the wheels 9 will tend'to force the upper ends of the legs ID and I2 apart and move the slide or carrier I 'I toward the delivery end of the conveyor, thus-to bring the frame of disk 24, it will be apparent pin 21 is pushed inwardly,

the conveyor down or nearer to the wheels 9, which would thus involve a lowering adjustment of the conveyor for its delivery operation.

For locking the shaft 20 against a turning movement simple means are provided and illustrated primarily in Figures 2, 6 and 7. Said means comprises a disk of approximately circular form, designated 24, which is attached to retate with the shaft 20." Extending outwardly from thedisk 24 is a rigid or integral sleeve 25, which sleeve supports a locking pin 26. The

"locking sleeve 25 supports the pin 26 for longitudinal movement, and the outer end of the pin 26 has a lateral handle 21. A lug 28 on the pin 26 prevents its displacement from the sleeve supporting bearing 25.

Since the locking pin 26 is supported by the that if the looking so that it engages beneath one of the side portions of the frame I, see Figure 2, the rotation of the disk 28 and therefore the shaft 20 will be prevented, and the wind: lass means will be locked at the adjustment of the cables arrived at previous to the locking of the said shaft 20 or disk 24. Y

The operating means for the cable means 23 is therefore very simple, and by causing the sliding of the slide member or carrier I'Lthe legs IIl'and I2 of the supporting means for the conveyor frame may be adjusted so as to elevate or lower said frame to any desired position within reasonable limits, for the use of the conveyor belt in performing itsusual function. I

By producing suflicient revolutions of the wind lass shaft 20 by permitting the handle means 22 to turn in a contra-clockwise direction, enough slack in the cable means 23 may be created-to enable the slide or carrier I I to be moved sufficiently toward the delivery end of the conveyor frame I, so that the slide or carrier I1 may be disengaged from the guide means 5, and detached from the frame I. The operation of the parts to this end is of advantage in facilitating thereplacement of the cable means 23, or replacing the parts or repairing the same as may be needed.

Likewise this detachment means for the slide is a part of my general means now to be set forth, for entirely removing the supporting unit 9, I'll, I2 and II? from the conveyor frame.

As seen in Figure 9 the pivot means I4 comprises along pin or pivot rod having at one end a manipulating handle 29, and a stop member 30 adjacent to the latter. At the end opposite the'handle 29 the rod has a key projection 3L The pivot rod I4 passes through keyhole shaped openings 32 in the upper ends of the legs I0, and similar openings33 in the opposite side portions of the conveyor frame. When the legs are in positions like those of Figures 1 and 4 the open ings 32and 33 are out of register, but when the legs Ill and I2 are collapsed in lowering the conveyor close'to the ground, the said openings are in register and permit the rod M to be displaced from the frame and legs I0 by endwise movement. i

The cable means 23 is removably connected with thewindlass shaft 20 by the hook zoaon the latter. Y

Now supposing it to be desired toremove the wheel support "or prep for the conveyor-frame, as'a unit, the operation is as follows: I

With the parts in a position like that 'ofFig ure 1 or Figure 4, the shaft 20 is permittedto turn contraclockwise, by release ofthe pirrflji, until the cable 28' entirely unwinds. This lets the slide or carrier I! move toward the upper end of the conveyor to a, position enabling it to be disengaged from the guide rails 5. The cable 23, which is detachably interlocked to hook 290:, may then be disengaged from the hook 20a and the leg I2 is thus disconnected from the conveyor frame. The above action will lower the conveyor frame and legs to the ground practically and the leg Ill will assume a dOWn position such that the openings 32 and 33 will register so the rod 14 can be endwise displaced from engaging the frame and members of the leg H! because the projection 3| will pass through the openings 32 and 33 when they are so registered. The rod 29 is locked from such displacement, however, except in the last described condition. With the pivot member or rod l 4 displaced the slide l1 may be readily slid off the frame, no longer being held from such displacement by the cable means 23.

With the leg or supporting unit thus disconnected from the frame of the conveyor, the engine 6 can be also detached, and the frame unit easily carried without the protruding adjuncts, through narrow spaces.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a portable conveyor, in combination, a conveyor frame, a support for the frame to hold the same in adjusted positions, said support comprising a leg having a pivotal connection at its upper end to the frame, a second leg, a slide movable on the frame and pivotally attached to the upper end of the second leg, means pivotally connecting the lower ends of the legs, and means on the frame for moving the slide longitudinally of the frame to change the elevation of the lower supporting ends of the legs, the last means including a Windlass shaft, cable means connecting the shaft to the slide, a crank to turn the shaft, a disc rigid on the Windlass shaft adjacent to the frame, a sleeve parallel to said shaft and rigid on the disc, and a releasable lock pin carried in said sleeve and slidable toward and from the conveyor frame to engage and hold the slide in a predetermined position.

2. In a portable conveyor, in combination, a conveyor frame, a support for the frame to hold the same in adjusted positions, said support comprising a leg having a pivotal connection at its upper end to the frame, a second leg, a slide movable on the frame and pivotally attached to the upper end of the second leg, means pivotally connecting the lower ends of the legs, and means on the frame for moving the slide longitudinally of the frame to change the elevation of the lower supporting ends of the legs, the last means including a Windlass shaft, a cable detachably interlocked to the shaft for quick removal, and a pivot device detachably connecting the first mentioned leg with the frame, the slide being detachable from the frame, the pivot device including a rod having a handle at one end and a lateral projection at the other end, the frame and upper end of the first mentioned leg having openings through which the shaft and its projection may pass, which openings register for endwise displacement of the pivot rod only when the two leg are adjusted to positions close to the frame.

3. In a portable conveyor, in combination, a conveyor frame, a support for the frame to hold the same in adjusted positions, said support com prising a leg having a, pivotal connection at its upper end to the frame, a second leg, a slide movable on the frame and pivotally attached to the upper end of the second leg, means pivotally connecting the lower ends of the legs, means on the frame including a Windlass and cable means, connected to operate the slide, and means to lock the Windlass means at a desired adjustment of the slide and the leg means connected thereto, said cable means being quickly detachable from the Windlass means, the slide detachable from the conveyor frame, and the pivot connecting the frame and first mentioned leg being detachable quickly from the last legs and frame by means normally interlocked with the first leg and frame.

EARL H. ENSINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,989,537 Wentz Jan. 29, 1935 2,387,189 Steinmetz Oct. 16, 1945 2,403,636 Chantland July 9, 1946 2,438,527 Werner Mar. 30, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country 7 Date 80,423 Germany Apr. 10, 1920 

